A fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran appeared to be holding Friday, but the Strait of Hormuz remained effectively closed to normal commercial traffic, with only a handful of vessels transiting the waterway in the first 24 hours after the truce was announced. Ship-tracking data showed between five and nine bulk carriers had passed through the strait, compared with a prewar average of more than 100 vessels per day. Oil prices rose above $100 a barrel as initial optimism over the ceasefire gave way to uncertainty about the route's future status.

Iran has asserted it retains the right to require permission for ships to transit the strait and has suggested it may impose fees for passage, a position that directly contradicts U.S. demands for a full reopening as a condition of the truce. The Iranian navy released a navigation map indicating possible mining operations in portions of the waterway and directing vessels along new lanes closer to Iran's mainland. President Trump publicly cautioned Iran against charging tolls for passage, while Sultan Al Jaber, chief executive of Abu Dhabi's national oil company and a UAE government minister, stated bluntly that the strait was 'not open' and that access was 'being restricted, conditioned and controlled.'

Ceasefire violations were disputed on multiple fronts. Kuwait accused Iran and its proxies of launching drone attacks against it on Thursday despite the truce, and Saudi Arabia said its East-West oil pipeline — a key route that bypasses the strait — was damaged in recent attacks. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps denied responsibility for any strikes since the ceasefire began, asserting that reports of attacks on Persian Gulf states were 'undoubtedly the work of the Zionist enemy or the United States.' The IRGC stated that any Iranian military action would be officially announced.

Elsewhere, the U.S. warned Iraq that it must dismantle Iran-aligned militia groups operating on its soil or risk straining bilateral ties, following drone attacks near the Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center and Baghdad International Airport. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau conveyed the warning to Iraq's ambassador, citing hundreds of attacks on U.S. personnel, diplomatic facilities, and commercial interests in recent weeks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy separately confirmed for the first time that Ukrainian military personnel had participated in shooting down Iranian-designed Shahed drones in multiple Middle Eastern countries during the conflict, describing the operations as active combat support rather than training.

The broader situation remains volatile as U.S. and Iranian officials prepare for planned negotiations. Industry groups, including BIMCO, said shipowners were waiting for technical guidance from both governments before resuming normal transit. The Strait of Hormuz carries roughly 20 percent of the world's oil and natural gas, making its status a central economic and geopolitical concern for energy markets and Gulf states dependent on export revenues.